Family and friends remember Ervin Goeden as a man who loved his country, the Air Force and his family.

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Goeden,93, was a World War II Air Force veteran, who flew B-17's and was a navigator during the cold war. He was a retired Lt. Colonel with the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force base.

"He was very dedicated to his country, to the Air Force, to my mother and his second wife, Pat and all his children, grand children, great grandchildren and step great grandchildren," Bruce Goeden said.

"For being 93 years old, he was in excellent health. I'm 71 and at times, I wish I was in that good of health," Bruce Goeden said.

Bruce Goeden said his father didn't talk about his military service until many years after he retired from the Air Force.

"It was dangerous work. It was before satellites when they could take pictures of license plates in Red Square in Moscow. They used real cameras and flew very high and hoped they wouldn't be found," Goeden said.

Ervin and Patricia were married 42 years. Both on their second marriage.

"Family is very important to both of them. They spend a lot of time with all their grandkids," Gene Tomasello said.

Gene is Patricia's son and was driving the car when they were hit on Interstate 64 near Nashville, IL. He said the Cadillac was going 100 miles per hour.

"Originally I saw it directly behind us but way off in the distance and for some reason I looked in mirror a second time and they were right on us," Tomasello said.

He said he thought they were going to be rear-ended but the car changed lanes, then abruptly moved into their lane and hit the front of their car. The impact forced Tomasello off the road and they hit a tree.

Tomasello said they were about 30 minutes from Mount Vernon where they were going to rest for the night.

The family is offering a $2500 reward for information that would lead to the arrest of the hit-and-run driver.

"It's bad enough they were reckless but to wantonly leave the scene of the accident that was obviously so severe is unconscionable," Bruce Goeden said.

The family also sends a personal message to the driver.

"We would urge you to do the right thing," Valerie Meyers, granddaughter said.

"This man gave many, many years to this country for the rights he (driver) has and he deserves more than this."

Anyone with information on the crash should call Illinois State Police district 13 at 618-542-2171, extension 1202.

An Omaha man was fatally injured Friday in a hit-and-run crash on Interstate 64, according to the Illinois State Police.

A crash report indicates that Ervin H. Goeden, 93, was a passenger in a Toyota Avalon that was struck on the side by a passing Cadillac STS.

The Toyota left the road, striking a tree and killing Goeden.

Another passenger in the car, Patricia A. Goeden, 81, of Omaha, was critically injured. The driver, Eugene P. Tomasello, 56, of Omaha, was not hurt.

The driver of the other vehicle did not stop and was last seen driving eastbound on Interstate 64.

The crash happened Friday just after 5:00 p.m. in Washington County, near the community of Nashville.

Anyone with information on the crash should call Illinois State Police district 13 at 618-542-2171, extension 1202.